


tiger lilies

by sakon



Category: Ayatsuri Sakon | Puppet Master Sakon
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23890129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakon/pseuds/sakon
Summary: Zenkichi bent down to dust the grave, fingers lingering over the words. They paused for a moment longer, the he kneeled into the dirt, placing his backpack onto the ground. He had no flowers to bring, but took out a ruffled blanket and threw it over the grass. Zenkichi sat himself down, patting the ground for Sakon to sit. Dwelling in front of the grave for a moment, Sakon took a place beside him."Has it been a while?" Sakon broke the silence after a moment"Yeah, a little after Ayano,""Oh," Sakon frowned at the reminder, but it quickly faded as he went to thumb the flower growing at the gravesite.They were everywhere, but not often in gravesites. Then again, graveyards weren't common place, especially not in Japan. Yet, they grew there. The thought crossed has mind as he touched the petals. The red felt like velvet under his finger, thin and breakable, the petals curving back into the stems, tiny buds pointing out of the center.Zenkichi takes Sakon to meet his father.
Relationships: Tachibana Sakon/Fujita Zenkichi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	tiger lilies

**Author's Note:**

> **prompt** : quiet  
> takes place after ep 26.
> 
> honestly just something to post. better posted than never.

A red rust fogged over the sun, heat haze dulled by the yellow clouds and bolstering wind. The sky painted the ground in yellows and reds and oranges, mixed and muddy and with streaks of bronze. It had been two weeks or more since he had visited, but he wasn't quite sure.

He wasn't sure how long it had been since he had woke up, but it had been longer than he expected when he last asked Sakon. Then he forgot for the specific days again and again, and he didn't really want to ask another time.

He still wasn't quite sure though. 

"Is this where it's at?" Sakon's soft voice broke through his thoughts, and the hand placed on his arm drew him from them. 

"Yeah." His voice softer, a little quieter than normal. It was silent, so silent that he could barely hear the trees and leaves shaking themselves. 

They took a few more turns until they got to where they were supposed to be. A tiny grave buried amongst a sea of grey stones, a path that he remembered like the back of his hand telling him where to go.

He looked down at the grave. It was so small so infinitesimal in the sea of graves, yet it was so much more. There were half-wilted flowers in the vase and a layer of dust coating it. Around it tiny stems were rising from the ground and soon to be flower in bloom were showing themselves. Others had already bloomed.

They were the tiger lillies that his mother had talked about. They were growing around the grave, yet the workers hadn't bothered to take them out. He really needed to call her, huh?

Zenkichi bent down to dust the grave, fingers lingering over the words. They paused for a moment longer, the he kneeled into the dirt, placing his backpack onto the ground. He had no flowers to bring, but took out a ruffled blanket and threw it over the grass. Zenkichi sat himself down, patting the ground for Sakon to sit. Dwelling in front of the grave for a moment, Sakon took a place beside him.

"Has it been a while?" Sakon broke the silence after a moment

"Yeah, a little after Ayano," 

"Oh," Sakon frowned at the reminder, but it quickly faded as he went to thumb the flower growing at the gravesite. 

They were everywhere, but not often in gravesites. Then again, graveyards weren't common place, especially not in Japan. Yet, they grew there. The thought crossed has mind as he touched the petals. The red felt like velvet under his finger, thin and breakable, the petals curving back into the stems, tiny buds pointing out of the center.

It took his attention until a voice came from his side.

"That'd look good in your hair." 

"Really?" Sakon raised a brow.

"Reckon I could put one in your hair eventually?" He asked, taking a hand to Sakon's jaw, curling a thumb behind his ear before tucking a strand behind it. Images of the red flower in Sakon's hair crossed his mind, though the flower would probably fall out before it'd get situated.

"I'd like that," Sakon brushed a piece of his own hair, "But I think it would look good in yours."

Ukon protested the thought, but Sakon wouldn't give it voice. 

"Nah," Zenkichi shook his head.

"Yes," He looked up from the flower to see Zenkichi sitting paused, "It would," 

It would contrast the blue prettily. Sakon liked the thought of putting one in his hair. He was froze enough that it wouldn't fall from it for a few moments. 

He sat froze for a moment longer.

"—So, I was wondering, what do those represent?" He asked, suddenly springing into motion.

"Hm?"

"In the whole flower language stuff when everything is all deep and stuff." He gestured to the flowers, brows furrowed in contemplation. 

"Oh, it's reincarnation," He gently answered and saw Zenkichi trying to handle the flower he was handling as softly as he could. Ukon noted that he looked more a giant trying to handle a needle, and it was a thought that Sakon almost smiled at. 

"Y'know, I could see that." Zenkichi nodded, stroking his chin in contemplation. 

"It'd be nice, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah. Maybe I'd get to meet my father." He followed up, smiling almost peacefully at the prospect. A hand tugged at his sleeve and lead him into an open shoulder. His smile wasn't much of a smile; it wasn't much of a grin either, but it was somewhat there. Tiger lilies growing there and only there made him happy. What a concidence.

Zenkichi buried himself deeper into the shoulder. 

"Mm. In the next life things could be different," His hand raked through the thick blue hair. Maybe his own father would be there as well. 

"Yeah, maybe Kaoruko will be your sister." He mumbled into the shirt, imagining the bunraku family doing anything but that.

"Zenkichi-san, maybe you'll be younger too."

"Ukon could even be there too, huh?" Zenkichi laughed. He wasn't keen on being younger, but he wasn't against it either.

"It sounds delightful." He could hear the smile in Sakon's voice.

" _Huh?_ I'm already right here!" Ukon huffed, crossing his arms. Sakon startled a little, almost forgetting the presence of his beloved companion. Almost.

"I think he means in a human body, Ukon." Sakon hums and brushes his free hand through the grass, feeling the dewy grass spread between his fingers. 

"Ohhhh."

"Yeah, that." He rose from his spot to poke Ukon in the face, spurring the puppet to smack his hand away. 

Zenkichi contemplated the idea once more.

"Perhaps in another life, maybe things will be different."

"Maybe," Zenkichi murmured it quietly, and Sakon knited his fingers through the dirtied, calloused fingers. 

Sakon squeezed the hand and felt the vibrations of a chuckle shaking his fingers. He ran a thumb over the pads of his fingers, watching the run his skin golden.

Perhaps he would be able to meet him in the next beyond — just maybe. And perhaps Sakon would have more time with his own, too.

**Author's Note:**

> tiger lilies represent reincarnation and haha uhhh this was probably not what you were expecting huh.
> 
> basically manga zenkichi's dad was a wartime photographer n shit and uh yeah it kinda makes sense :(


End file.
